Keonjhar (Odisha), Jan 28 (PTI) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik talks less and works more and does not deliver long election speeches like other politicians, 5T (transformational) and Nabin Odisha chairman V K Pandian said on Sunday.

Pandian was on a one-day visit to tribal-dominated Keonjhar district.

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"Our CM Naveen Patnaik is a mass leader and he works round-the-clock for the welfare of people. Though he speaks less, BJD president works more than many other leaders," Pandian, who had recently joined politics after quitting civil service, told the gathering of party workers and people at Silsuna in Keonjhar district.

Pandian said many leaders will come and deliver sweet speeches ahead of elections.

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"But, it is Naveen Patnaik who works silently for the development of the people of Keonjhar district," he said, adding that development works worth over Rs 13,000 crore are being implemented in Keonjhar district.

Seeking blessings for Patnaik, his close aide appealed to the people to remember BJD's poll symbol conch shell.

"Conch symbol is the soul of yours, the soul of Biju Parivar," Pandian told the gathering while appealing to people to vote for BJD in the ensuing twin polls for the Lok Sabha and state assembly.

Noting that Patnaik considers the four-and-half-crore people of Odisha as his family members, Pandian said, "The CM has therefore implemented the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) for the health assurance of all the people in Odisha. As many as 2 lakh people are getting benefits from the BSKY and the state government spends Rs 250 crore every month."

Attending another programme at Dharanidhar University, Pandian said the ongoing development works of the varsity would be completed soon.

During his interaction with students, Pandian urged students to focus on their studies and responsibility towards society.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)